Beauty of the Beast
by sofia313
Summary: "It is often said that a daughter is attracted to someone just like her father." To Ginna Mikaelson, the second daughter of Mikael, that someone happens to be the cold and merciless Lord Tristan de Martel. Tristan/OC
1. Secret affair

**Rated M to be safe because of some mature content.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **Secret affair**

 _10th century_

 _"Go!" Elijah shouted. "Hurry!"_

 _His younger siblings were very tired for having to get up in the middle of the night, but they all obeyed without hesitation. 10-years-old Ginna was carrying her sobbing little sister Rebekah in her arms, 8-years-old Kol was right behind them. It was cold outside; they ran into the stable as fast as they could. The screams had already started._

 _"Father, please!" Elijah's desperate voice pleaded._

 _Rebekah sobbed even harder, Ginna tried her best to comfort her by stroking her hair. She glanced at Kol whose face was completely callous. There were only two goats in the stable; their only horse had died during the long cold winter._

 _"We need to stay warm," Ginna said quietly._

 _Kol didn't say anything, but he sat down beside Ginna when she settled in the haystack with Rebekah._

 _"Nik," Rebekah sobbed. "I want Nik."_

 _"Be quiet," Kol snapped._

 _"Kol," Ginna scolded._

 _"I do not want to hear her whining," Kol replied tensely._

 _Rebekah buried her face in Ginna's chest and cried harder when they heard Nik screaming. Kol's face was still callous, but he leaned his head on Ginna's shoulder. She knew that he was just trying to cope with this the best way he could. Thankfully little Henrik wasn't here, Esther taken him with her to Ayanna. It made no difference if their mother would have been here, she wouldn't have done anything to help Nik. Finn wasn't here either, but he wouldn't have intervened any more than Esther._

 _"I hate him," Rebekah murmured. "I hate father."_

 _Ginna didn't say anything; she kept stroking Rebekah's hair. The truth was that despite of everything, she couldn't bring herself to hate her father. Mikael had never harmed her, on the contrary. Often his cold eyes softened when he looked at her and sometimes he patted her head or lifted her up into his arms when they were alone. He was a cruel and harsh man, but Ginna loved him. She was probably the only one of his children who had ever seen his softer side. His heart had turned into ice after he had lost his beloved firstborn daughter, Freya, but there was something good in him. Ginna often felt guilty for feeling like that and she had never dared to tell her siblings about it. They would have no doubt despised her for loving a monster._

* * *

France, the de Martel estate, 1002

Elijah crossed his arms and glanced at his siblings one by one. Kol rolled his eyes, looking as bored as usual, Rebekah twirled her long blonde curl around her finger, Finn seemed careless and Nik tried his best to look innocent. Ginna suppressed a smile when she looked at him; he gave her a warning look. She responded to that with a barely noticeable nod. She wasn't going to say anything about his "secret affair" with their host's daughter, she had promised not to.

"Now," Elijah continued. "As I was saying, we have rules for a good reason. Unfortunately one of us feels superior enough to break those rules and put us all in danger." He paused and looked at Kol. "Isn't that right, brother?"

Nik was clearly relieved, his little secret was safe.

"What?" Kol asked. "What have I done now?"

"Oh, I think you know," Elijah replied icily. "You have been more than sloppy; you have barely bothered to cover your tracks. These people are not idiots."

"So what?" Kol snorted. "Honestly, what can they do to us?"

"Enough, Kol," Finn said firmly. "You will behave or I will make you."

Kol smirked at him.

"You and what army, big brother?"

"Me, for starters," Elijah stated and glanced at Nik who nodded.

"And me."

Kol rolled his eyes.

"You are all such dullards!" He paused and looked at his younger sister. "You are on my side on this, are you not, Bekah?"

Rebekah huffed and shook her head.

"No, I like it here and I don't want to leave because you are unable to show any self-control."

"Oh please," Kol snorted and glanced at Ginna. "Let me guess, you agree with Elijah?"

"I do," Ginna replied calmly.

Kol had often called her "a female Elijah", but that didn't bother her. She had always been calm and quiet; she usually kept her thoughts to herself. That didn't mean she would have followed anyone blindly, she simply valued her privacy.

"What a surprise. I doubt that you even know the meaning of fun."

Ginna smiled.

"I think we have a different idea of fun, brother," she replied. "Perhaps you could at least try to play nice for the rest of us."

Kol shrugged carelessly.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not."

"Kol…" Elijah started sharply, but his brother was already out of the door.

Elijah sighed and shook his head. Finn tapped his shoulder.

"You tried, brother," he stated and left.

It didn't take long for Nik and Rebekah to follow his example. The family meeting was over.

"What am I going to do with him?" Elijah muttered.

Ginna walked over to him and touched his shoulder.

"He is coping, just like he always has. I am sure he will come around eventually."

"One can always hope," Elijah sighed. "At least I do not have to worry about you, sister. I cannot tell how happy I am for that."

"No, 'Lijah, you do not have to worry about me," Ginna replied smiling. "I have no problem being a dullard."

Elijah laughed and kissed her forehead.

"Do you have plans for tonight?" he asked. "Would you like to play chess with me?"

"Oh, I would love to, but I am afraid I am quite tired," she replied. "Tomorrow perhaps?"

"Yes, of course. Sweet dreams, sister."

She kissed his cheek before walking out. Calmly she headed to her bedchamber and greeted the servant girl who was just preparing her bed. She had also lit up few candles.

"That will be all, thank you," Ginna said after the girl was finished. "I shall not need more assistance tonight."

"Yes, my lady," the girl replied and bowed before leaving.

Ginna sighed and walked over to the tall window. The stars had already appeared in the sky; she observed them quietly and smiled. After a moment, she heard the door to her chamber opening and turned around.

"My lord!" she gasped when she saw Tristan de Martel. "What are you doing here?"

He looked at her with his cold eyes and bolted the door.

"I think you know, my lady."

"What… This… This is highly inappropriate, my lord," she muttered and backed away when he approached her like a lion stalking its prey.

"Is it?" he stated, his lips curved into a predatory smirk.

She blinked her eyes nervously when he backed her into a corner.

"Is my lord going to hurt me?" she asked innocently.

He was in front of her now; his body trapped her against the wall.

"On the contrary, my lady," he hummed and took a hold of her gown. She gasped when she heard the sudden ripping sound.

"My lord…" she protested, but he silenced her with a bruising kiss. His hand cupped her breast through her undergarment and his other hand went under her hem. She moaned into his mouth when his fingers found her most sensitive place. He pulled away and looked at her with his cold predatory eyes.

"Tristan," she moaned, unable to stay in character. She knew how much he enjoyed their little games and she wanted him to be happy. He smiled and kept torturing her until she climaxed. Her whole body was trembling, but he didn't give her any time to recover. He lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Sometimes he was quite rough, but she didn't mind, she knew that he wouldn't really hurt her. She scratched his shoulders and moaned when he thrust into her again and again.

"My little wildcat," he groaned and kissed her. "You are mine."

She tilted her head back and enjoyed her second climax. Finally he finished as well and took a moment to catch his breath before carrying her to the bed. Gently he placed her onto her back and lied down beside her. Neither of them spoke, he took her hand and kissed it. They didn't cuddle after sex, but they were still close to one another and sometimes talked before he left. He never stayed for the night; he didn't want to ruin her reputation. Not that she would have cared about that, she wasn't really a lady.

No, a lady shouldn't have enjoyed the things they did. He was the first man she had allowed to touch her like that and she had never regretted for giving him her virginity. Her brothers, especially Elijah, would no doubt be furious, so she needed to make sure that they would never find out. There had simply been something about Tristan de Martel that had immediately caught her attention and the feeling had been mutual. He had once mentioned that most women were usually more or less cautious around him because of his reputation. He was a harsh man, but that had never scared her. There was a softer side in him and he did show her affection with small gestures, by caressing her cheek, stroking her hair or planting tender kisses on her neck.

"I liked that gown," she finally murmured.

"What?"

"You could have warned me that you were going to rip it, I would have worn something else."

He rolled on his side and touched her cheek.

"My sweet, I will have as many gowns made for you as you want."

She smiled and turned to face him.

"As many as I want?"

"Yes. Only the best for you."

His eyes softened when his fingers played with her sandy blonde hair.

"You are so beautiful, my sweet Ginna," he murmured. "I have never met a woman like you."

He was certainly right about that. She hadn't told him what she really was and she wasn't going to tell him. She didn't want to lose him. Of course she would lose him eventually, her family couldn't stay here forever, but she didn't want to think about that yet.

"Tristan?" she murmured. "Can I ask you a favor before you leave?"

"Yes, of course."

"Could you hold me until I fall asleep?"

She had never before asked that, but tonight she felt the need to feel his warmth. Ginna had always loved warmth and to her, the cold had been one of the worst things about becoming what she was. If her request surprised him, he didn't show it, he simply nodded.

"Of course."

"Thank you," she murmured and kissed him before resting her head on his chest.

He hesitated for a brief moment before wrapping his arms around her, his clumsiness made her smile. Right now the feared Tristan de Martel was like a fish out of water. To her this was a perfect moment, she felt safe and protected. She didn't expect any declaration of love or grand gestures, she was happy just like this.


	2. Hidden thoughts

**Chapter 2**

 **Hidden thoughts**

 _3 months earlier_

 _Tristan de Martel kept his face callous when his pale blue eyes observed Lady Ginna de Quise across the hall. She was wearing a light purple silk gown and her sandy blonde hair was up in a plait coiffure. The hall was full of people, Count de Martel was having a feast, but all Tristan saw was this woman. She was with her sister, the Lady Rebekah, they were talking. The two ladies and their four brothers had arrived two weeks ago; Tristan had met the Lady Ginna the same night at his father's celebration. There had been something about her that had most definitely caught his attention, but as always, he had controlled himself perfectly._

 _Most people saw him as nothing but cold and heartless man, but he had no problem with that. He liked to keep his thoughts to himself and at the moment he was particularly grateful that no one could tell what he was thinking. What he had seen earlier today had filled his head with some very improper thoughts. He had been riding in the woods in order to train his new horse for the hunt and he had felt like cooling off in the pond. Of course he has had two guards with him, but he had told them to wait for him on the path with his horse._

 _When he had approached the pond, he had noticed someone diving in the water. He hadn't moved and the woman in the water hadn't seen him. He hadn't been able to tell who she was and he had wondered what kind of a woman would be foolish enough to be in the woods all by herself. But for some reason he hadn't looked away. That still didn't make sense to him; he had never before peeked at a woman. Yet he couldn't bring himself to regret what he had seen, how could he?_

 _When the woman had finally emerged, her wet blonde hair falling around her shoulders, he had recognized her as the Lady Ginna. She had been naked, dripping wet and absolutely gorgeous. Like some kind of nymph rising from the water. Beautiful body with soft curves, firm bosom and soft looking skin. He couldn't deny that he had openly stared at her, studying every little detail of her body. Of course he had seen naked women before, but her… She was no doubt the most beautiful woman he had ever seen._

 _How was it possible that she had actually been there all alone? Unescorted. Unprotected. How had her brothers allowed that to happen? She had sat on the bank naked for a while, sunbathing and dipping her toes into the water. Tristan had never seen anything like it; all the noblewomen usually avoided the sun. He hadn't moved until she had finally gotten dressed. After that he had let her notice him and pretended that he had just arrived. Obviously he had needed to escort her back to the castle. She had clearly been more than surprised to see him and if he hadn't been mistaken, she had seemed a little shy._

 _To his surprise, she hadn't had a horse with her; she had said that she had felt like taking a walk. A walk in the woods all by herself? That had sounded very strange to him and he had pointed out that she should pay more attention to her safety, who knew what kind of beasts she would run into. She had smiled and thanked him for his concern. They hadn't really spoken much on their way back to the castle and Tristan had needed to struggle to keep his thoughts hidden. A part of him had wanted to berate her brothers for neglecting their responsibility to protect her, but that would have been quite hypocrite. Still, what if someone else would have seen her… Maybe some savage who would have attacked her. The thought made him to clench his fists. Before he truly realized what he was doing, he approached her and her sister._

 _"Good evening, ladies," he greeted them._

 _"My lord," they replied in unison and curtsied briefly._

 _It wasn't difficult to see that his presence made Lady Rebekah uncomfortable, she seemed tense and cautious. He had gotten used to that, his reputation made many women nervous around him. Lady Ginna on the other hand didn't seem nervous; she had a polite smile on her face._

 _"Are you enjoying the feast, my lord?" she asked._

 _"Yes, I am and I was wondering would one of you ladies do me the honor of accompanying me to the dance?"_

 _Lady Rebekah's expression revealed how she felt about that and she gave her sister a grateful look when she assured that she would be delighted to dance. The musicians were just starting to play; Tristan offered his hand to Lady Ginna and led her to the middle of the hall._

 _"I must warn you, my lord, I am afraid I am not much of a dancer," she said._

 _"I see. You prefer wandering in the woods?"_

 _She smiled._

 _"I do actually."_

 _His eyebrows furrowed._

 _"My lady, I must again point out your safety. Surely you understand that someone like you cannot simply walk around by herself."_

 _"Someone like me?"_

 _"A defenseless woman."_

 _The corners of her mouth were twitching._

 _"Forgive me, my lord, but what makes you think I would be defenseless?"_

 _"You are a woman," he replied simply. "A lady. It is the responsibility of men to keep you safe."_

 _She raised her eyebrows._

 _"You really believe that, my lord?"_

 _"Of course, it is the natural order of things."_

 _"I am afraid I must disagree, my lord."_

 _"Really? Why is that?"_

 _She smiled._

 _"I have four brothers and I can assure you that they have taught me how to defend myself. I know how to use a sword."_

 _"You know how to use a sword?" he repeated. "Your father allowed that?"_

 _"Yes, he did, he often taught me himself when I was a child. He was a very skilled swordsman." She paused and smiled, the memory seemed to be dear to her._

 _Tristan couldn't imagine that his father would have ever allowed Aurora to even touch a sword, she could have hurt herself._

 _"I have heard that you are also quite a swordsman, my lord," Lady Ginna continued._

 _"So I have been told," Tristan replied._

 _"Well, perhaps you could teach me then? I would love to see what you can do."_

 _It seemed that she actually was serious. He wasn't completely sure what to think of that, she wasn't like any noblewoman he had met._

 _"That would not be appropriate, my lady. And I certainly do not wish to hurt you."_

 _"How kind of you," she replied. "But perhaps I would be the one who would hurt you."_

 _He couldn't help but smile at that._

 _"Perhaps. You seem quite fierce, my lady."_

 _"I'm not. I am actually very boring."_

 _He raised an eyebrow._

 _"Somehow I doubt that, my lady."_

 _She smiled at him and curtsied when the dance was over. He would have wanted to continue, but her brother, the Lord Kol, cut in._

 _"You are welcome, sister," Tristan heard Kol whispering in Ginna's ear. Apparently he was under the impression that he had just saved her from an unwanted company. The thought didn't sit well with Tristan, but as usual, nothing revealed what he was thinking. Right now he was most definitely grateful for that._


	3. Kindred spirit

**Chapter 3**

 **Kindred spirit**

 _3 months earlier_

 _Ginna truly enjoyed riding, especially when the morning was as beautiful as this one. The first sunrays felt warm on her face, she smiled and glanced at the man riding beside her. She had run into him at the stables when she had been saddling a horse for a morning ride and he had insisted of accompanying her when he had learned that she was going by herself. He had been concerned of her safety. He looked just as serious as usual; there was no expression on his face._

 _Rebekah had named him "the ice prince", she said that he gave her the chills. Ginna hadn't really commented on that, she had no intention to tell anyone what she thought of Tristan de Martel. She was very much attracted to him; she had been ever since they had met. If she wasn't completely mistaken, he seemed to feel something for her too. He had often sought for her company, but there had always been other people around them. Excluding their encounter at the pond, this was the first time when they were alone._

 _"Lovely morning," she stated after a long silence._

 _"Yes, it is," he replied._

 _"You are very kind of accompanying me, my lord."_

 _"Of course. As I said to you few days ago, you must pay more attention to your safety, my lady. There are all kinds of beasts out there."_

 _"Yes," she murmured. "I know."_

 _She knew a lot about beasts, she had learned that many years ago. Fortunately she didn't have to be afraid of them anymore. That was one good thing about her mother's spell._

 _"I am sure your father would also wish you to be more cautious," he continued._

 _"I doubt that," Ginna muttered before she managed to stop herself._

 _"You do? Why?"_

 _Ginna bit her bottom lip._

 _"It's complicated, my lord. I do love my father and I believe he loved me, but…" She paused and sighed. "It's complicated."_

 _"I see," Tristan replied. "And your mother?"_

 _Ginna felt a sting in her heart when she thought about Esther._

 _"She has passed away."_

 _"I am sorry."_

 _"Thank you. How about your mother, my lord?"_

 _She noticed that Tristan's expression tensed a little._

 _"She has also passed away."_

 _"I am sorry for your loss."_

 _"It was a long time ago," Tristan replied, his tone of voice was careless. That didn't hide the fact that he had loved his mother._

 _"My siblings hate our father," Ginna said. She really wasn't sure why she had just said that, she had certainly never talked about his family to anyone._

 _Tristan raised an eyebrow._

 _"Why is that?"_

 _"They have every right I suppose," she murmured. "He was always a very harsh man."_

 _"Hmm. But you do not hate him, my lady?"_

 _Ginna bowed her head._

 _"No, I do not. I know I should, but… I guess I am a fool."_

 _"I do not think so," Tristan replied._

 _"I believe you would if you would know everything, my lord."_

 _Tristan was quiet for a brief moment before replying._

 _"Have your father ever hurt you?" he asked._

 _Ginna shook her head._

 _"No, he was always kind to me and I owe him a lot, but…"_

 _"What do you mean you owe him a lot?"_

 _Ginna hesitated; she had never talked about this to anyone, not even Elijah._

 _"Many winters ago he saved me from a man who was going to hurt me."_

 _That young man had been a son of highly respected man in their village. He had asked Ginna to come and take a walk with him. She has had a crush on him and she had been young and naïve, so she had been foolish enough to agree. Things would have ended very badly if her father wouldn't have found her in time. Mikael had killed the boy without hesitation and Ginna had helped him to bury the body. It had been their secret ever since. Mikael had been even more protective of Ginna after that and he hadn't accepted any suitor who had tried to approach her. She hadn't had a problem with that, she had no desire to get married and become some beast's servant. Even though Mikael had killed Esther, Ginna couldn't bring herself to hate him._

 _"I hope your father killed this man," Tristan stated, he was clenching his fists._

 _"He did," Ginna replied._

 _"Good. I would have done the same."_

 _Ginna couldn't help but smile._

 _"I am sure you mean you would have done that for your sister…"_

 _"No, I mean I would kill any man who would try to hurt you, my lady."_

 _Ginna looked at his callous face and saw that he meant what he said. It made her feel something she had never felt before. She stopped her horse and dismounted without saying a word. He followed her example. For a moment they simply looked at each other. Ginna didn't back away when he took a step towards her, she wasn't afraid of him. It wasn't because he wouldn't be able to hurt her even if he would want to. No, it was because no matter how harsh and cruel he was, she knew that he wouldn't hurt her. For some reason she felt safe with him._

 _A shiver raced up her spine when his fingers gently touched her cheek. His eyes were silently asking for her permission to continue. She gave him that permission with a smile and a nod. That was all he needed, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. Her hands went on his chest and she tilted her head toward him with a gasp of surprise. Then he crashed his lips to hers. The kiss wasn't rough, but it had the strength and sureness of a man who knew what he wanted. No doubt he had kissed many women before her._

 _She was unable to react at first while her mind and body dealt with the shock of being so close to him, actually touching him for the first time. Slowly she started to enjoy all the new sensations. His lips felt warm and he tasted very good. She would have never expected to enjoy being so close to any man like this, but everything about him just felt right. He wrapped his arms around her waist, but his grip wasn't too tight or forceful. She had no idea how long their kiss lasted before he finally pulled away. When she looked into his gorgeous eyes she knew that she had found something many people dreamt of finding. Her kindred spirit._


	4. Broken hearts

**Chapter 4**

 **Broken hearts**

Tristan stared at the ceiling in the dark, he didn't dare to move. Ginna was asleep; her head was resting on his chest. This was the first time when he had held her like this. He had never held anyone like this. Carefully he touched her hair. He was in love with this woman; she was everything he had ever wanted. The thought was confusing, but it also filled him with guilt. He hadn't thought about her reputation when he had taken her innocence, he had only thought about how desperately he had wanted her.

She deserved so much better. He was ashamed when he thought about it now, his behavior had been everything but gentlemanly. A woman like her deserved to be cherished, worshiped. The way he had treated her… He knew that he needed to make things right, although he feared that it would be too little too late. They had been together for so many times that it was possible she was with child already. She could be carrying his son or daughter. The thought made him to hold her even more protectively.

He needed to make things right and wed her as soon as possible. Writing to her father would take too long, so he would talk to her brothers and ask for her hand in marriage. Surely they would agree, they had no reason not to. He didn't think that his father would have any rejections either; she was more than a suitable spouse for Tristan. His wife and the mother of his children. Lady Ginna de Martel. That sounded very good. He didn't think for a second that she wouldn't accept his proposal; he knew that she loved him. Neither of them had ever said it out loud, they didn't have to.

"My beautiful Ginna," he murmured and touched her cheek. "I want you to be mine forever."

He had got used to getting what he wanted and he wasn't going to let anything stand in his way. This was the woman he was meant to be with, he was sure of it. She was his and he wasn't going to let anyone take her from him.

* * *

Italy, 1114

Ginna's eyes flew open and she gasped in shock. Her whole body felt strange, she couldn't understand what had happened to her.

"It's alright, sister," Elijah's calming voice said. "It's alright."

Ginna blinked her eyes in order to clear her vision. The first thing she saw was Elijah's face hovering over her, his hand was stroking her hair.

"What…what happened?" Ginna asked hoarsely.

"Hunters," Elijah replied tensely. "They managed to dagger us all."

Ginna frowned; the last thing she remembered was going to sleep.

"If they daggered us all then how…"

"I am immune to the daggers," Nik's voice said. "Fortunately for all of us."

Ginna tried to get into a sitting position; Elijah wrapped his arm around her and helped her up. She noticed that she was on the sofa in their parlor. Rebekah was sitting at the table; she had wrapped her arms around her. Nik was standing in front of the fireplace with his arms crossed, his expression was harsh.

"Finn and Kol…" Ginna started.

"Kol has already been undaggered," Nik cut in. "He went after the rest of the hunters."

"And Finn?"

"He won't be undaggered," Nik replied coldly.

Ginna's eyes widened.

"What?"

"You heard me."

Ginna stared at him disbelievingly.

"You cannot mean that."

Nik smiled.

"I believe I can. I am sick of his whining and judgmental attitude, he cannot be trusted."

Ginna's eyes narrowed, she stood up and glared at Nik.

"You have no right, he is our brother…"

She didn't have time to finish her sentence when Nik was in front of her, roughly grabbing her by the throat.

"Niklaus!" Elijah protested.

"I would watch my tongue if I were you, sister," Nik snarled. "Unless you wish to join Finn."

"Niklaus, that's enough," Elijah said tensely.

Ginna looked into Nik's eyes and saw nothing there. No warmth, no compassion, no love. Nothing. He had lost all that when Aurora had broken his heart. That didn't justify his despotic behavior; he wasn't the only one whose heart had been broken. Even after all these years, Tristan's cruel words still hurt. He had said that she had been nothing but entertainment to him; she had never meant anything to him. What man would ever respect a woman who apparently would spread her legs to anyone?

And the marriage proposal? Surely she hadn't thought that he had actually meant it. He had only wanted to keep her willing to satisfy his needs. He might have as well ripped her heart out. That would have been less painful. She hadn't been the same after that, something inside her had died. One thing was for sure, she would certainly never trust any man ever again. She kept glaring at Nik when he released her.

"You think we are your subjects?" she asked coolly.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you challenging me, sister?"

She pressed her lips together and glanced at Elijah.

"Elijah? Surely you do not accept this?"

He looked distressed and sighed.

"Perhaps this is for the best. For Finn also, you know he have always hated what we are…"

"You cannot be serious," Ginna snapped. "You want to leave our brother daggered?"

"Yes, he does," Nik cut in. "And so does Bekah."

Ginna looked at her sister who kept her eyes on the table.

"Rebekah? Is that true?"

"Yes," she murmured. "I think it's for the best. For all of us."

Ginna couldn't believe what she was hearing. Apparently her siblings were willing to let Nik push them around however he wanted. Even Elijah who Ginna had always looked up to. For some reason he still kept coddling Nik. It was true that Nik was the strongest one of them, but that didn't stop them from leaving him. Unfortunately Ginna understood that Elijah and Rebekah weren't willing to do that. She however was. If that meant also leaving the rest of her family, then be it.

But first she would undagger Finn, she felt that she owed him that much. They had spent some time together after leaving from France and although she hadn't told him what had happened with Tristan, he had still managed to comfort her with his calming presence. She had found his company soothing, he never asked her to even speak if she didn't want to. Yes, he was often gloomy and he had many times cursed this new life of theirs, but he didn't deserve to be left daggered.

"Fine," she stated coolly. "If that is what you all think."

Nik smiled and touched her hair.

"Smart girl."

Elijah placed his hand on her shoulder when Nik left the room.

"Ginna…"

"It's fine," she cut in. "I understand, brother." She paused and looked into his eyes. He had always been there for her and she loved him, but she knew that he wouldn't leave Nik. She only hoped that he would one day understand why she couldn't stay.


	5. Creating a monster

**Chapter 5**

 **Creating a monster**

 _My dear brother_

 _I am not sure how to start this letter, but I know I want to write it. How could I simply leave without any explanation? Yes, by the time you read this, I will be gone. It breaks my heart to leave you, Bekah, Kol and even Nik, but I feel I have no choice. I cannot stay, I simply cannot. I need to find my own path in life. Perhaps you have noticed that I have not been the same person after we left France._

 _The truth is that I am not sure who I am, but I know who I am not, a person who leaves her own brother daggered. Please, do not get me wrong, I am not blaming you on anything and I wish you, all of you, to be safe and happy. I can only hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me and respect my decision._

 _Your loving sister_

 _Ginna_

Elijah sat on his bed and read the letter again. She was gone. Ginna had left with Finn. Niklaus hadn't noticed that yet, but he would soon. Elijah pressed his lips together, his guilt felt overwhelming.

… _I have not been the same person after we left France…._

He had only tried to protect his sister. She had deserved so much better than someone like Tristan de Martel. Maybe Elijah hadn't been the one who had actually compelled Tristan to abandon Ginna, but he was guilty as well. Not to mention Tristan was a vampire because of him. When he had found out how that bastard had been taking advantage of Ginna, how he had stolen her innocence… Elijah had lost his temper and attacked Tristan. The consequences had been very ugly.

Then there was Niklaus. Elijah felt that he had created a monster. The rage he had felt when Aurora had told him that Niklaus had murdered their mother… He had completely lost it. All he had wanted was to make Niklaus pay. He closed his eyes and sighed tiredly. What was done, was done, he couldn't take it back. There was no chance Niklaus would simply accept Ginna's departure, especially when she had taken Finn with her. Why had she done this? There would have been other ways. If she would have only come to Elijah first… Now he had no idea what to do.

* * *

Ginna was exhausted, she had Finn had ridden the whole night. She truly hoped that they had long enough head start before Nik would notice that they were gone. He would no doubt be furious and Ginna had learned enough about his temper to take his anger seriously. She had to admit that most of the time she barely recognized Niklaus anymore. He had used to be kind and compassionate, now he considered such feelings as nothing but a weakness. She had no doubt that he would run one of those damn daggers through her heart without hesitation if he would catch her. Unfortunately they had to stop, their horses needed some rest.

"Finn!" Ginna called and nodded towards the small field ahead of them. The river was near, so the horses would also get some water. Her brother understood what she meant; they both stopped their horse and dismounted. Neither of them spoke when they took care of the horses. Ginna also washed her face in the river. Finn was handing her a handkerchief when she looked up.

"Thank you," she said.

"I believe I should thank you," he replied calmly.

"You would have done the same for me."

He nodded.

"Yes, I would have, but still… Thank you, sister."

She smiled at him and touched his shoulder.

"You are welcome."

They were both quiet for a moment before she continued.

"So… What now?"

He raised his eyebrows.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, along with father, we also need to run from Nik now, so… Are we staying together or going to our separate ways?"

Finn looked at her calmly.

"Do you wish us to go to our separate ways?"

"No," she replied without hesitation. She didn't really need to consider her answer; the truth was that she didn't want to be all alone. "I would like us to stay together, I believe we would make a good team, but if that is not what you want, I will respect your decision."

He was quiet for a brief moment before replying.

"A team?"

She nodded.

"Yes. We could look after one another, like a family is supposed to do. What do you think, brother?"

He observed her with a blank expression before his lips curved into a smile.

"I think I would like that. And I believe you are right, we would make a good team."

She smiled too and kissed his cheek.

"Alright, brother, you and me then. I believe we can find some peace. For both of us."

He nodded.

"Let us hope so."

* * *

Meanwhile in Hungary

Tristan, Lucien and Aurora were all sitting in the parlor of the house they were currently staying. None of them had said a word for a long while. Tristan was holding Aurora and calmingly stroking her hair while Lucien concentrated on his third bottle of wine. 112 years they had lived the lives of someone else. 112 years had been stolen from them. They had been used like their lives wouldn't matter. To Tristan, that however wasn't the worst part. Ginna… The things he had been forced to say to her… The hurt on her face… He had broken her heart. He had lost her. She had been taken from him.

"Well…" Lucien murmured after a very long silence. "Wasn't that a fun century."

Tristan didn't say anything; he didn't have anything to add to that.

"They deserve to pay," Lucien continued and took a long gulp out of his bottle.

"I agree," Aurora murmured. "I want Elijah to suffer."

"They all will suffer," Tristan stated, his voice held no emotion.

They had taken the only woman he had ever loved from him and made him to hurt her the worst possible way. All of them would pay for that.

"Sounds good to me," Lucien huffed and handed Tristan the bottle. "Drink, 'brother'?"

Normally Tristan would have refused, but now he took the bottle and emptied it with one long gulp. Ginna… He made a silent vow to himself that he would find her. No matter how long it would take.


	6. Longing

**I'm sorry about the hiatus, here's finally the next chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **Longing**

Scotland, 1221

 _Ginna was nervous. Tonight was the night. Her first time with a man. And not just any man. With Tristan. Not that she could imagine doing this with anyone else. She was ready for this, but she was also nervous. What if he would be disappointed? What if she couldn't do it right? What if… No, she needed to stop this. She wasn't going to ruin their night with her insecurity._

 _Still she hoped that there would be someone she could talk to, maybe ask for some advice. Unfortunately there wasn't. If her brothers would ever find out… It was fine for them to bed as many women as they wanted, but whenever Rebekah showed interest toward any man, they immediately became ridiculously overprotective._

 _Ginna had never actually shown interest toward any man, but she had no doubt that if she would, her brothers would react the same way. It really wasn't fair. They simply refused to acknowledge the fact that women had those kinds of needs as well. Rebekah had talked to Ginna about certain "urges" she has had after their mother's spell._

 _She hadn't been hungry for just blood. Ginna understood what she meant, she has had that kind of "urges" too after she had met Tristan. Ever since they had shared their first kiss, she had found herself craving for something unknown. He was the first man who had ever made her feel like that. His touch made her whole body tingle. In a very pleasant way._

 _The thought of him touching her most private place… It made her feel something very unladylike. She bit her bottom lip and glanced at her bed. Everything was ready; she had bathed, put on a new silk nightgown and carefully brushed her long hair. The only thing missing was him. What if he wouldn't come? What if… Thankfully she didn't have time to finish her thoughts when she heard a quiet knock. It made her freeze. The door opened and Tristan entered her chamber._

 _"Good evening, my lady," he stated. His face was callous and he seemed just as confident as ever, but if Ginna wasn't mistaken, he was a bit…hesitant. She couldn't help but smile._

 _"You came."_

 _He cleared his throat before replying._

 _"Yes. If you have had a change of heart…"_

 _"No, I have not," she cut in. "Have you?"_

 _He was clearly surprised._

 _"No, my lady, I certainly have not."_

 _She nodded._

 _"Good."_

 _They were both quiet for a moment. She would have wanted to walk over to him, but she suspected that he wanted to make the first move. He was after all a very dominant man. He had spent his whole life giving orders to other people. That didn't intimidate her, she had got used to dominant men, such as her father and her brothers. She knew how to handle them. And despite of his "rough edges", she had seen that Tristan had a soft side. She didn't think for a second that he would hurt her. Patiently she waited for him to move in front of her._

 _"Ginna…" he murmured as he ran his fingers softly over her cheek. "Are you sure you want this?"_

 _She nodded._

 _"I am."_

 _He parted her lips with his thumb and smiled. His smile was somewhat predatory, but she could also see warmth in his eyes. She managed to surprise him by touching his thumb with her tongue._

 _"Will you teach me, my lord?" she asked innocently._

 _Now there was most definitely pure lust in his eyes._

 _"Tristan," he stated hoarsely. "I want you to call me Tristan."_

 _She blinked her eyes and smiled sweetly._

 _"As you wish. Tristan."_

 _She gasped as he grabbed her arms and pulled her close._

 _"I will promise you one thing, my sweet Ginna." He paused and touched her neck with his lips. His touch sent pleasant shivers down her spine. "Before this night is over, I will hear you crying out my name many, many times…"_

"My lady! My lady, please wake up!"

Ginna opened her eyes as quickly as she could.

"Tristan…" she murmured sleepily.

"No, my lady, it is I, Moira."

Ginna had to blink few times in order to clear her head. Her maid was standing next to her bed. The bedchamber was dark, but Moira had a candle in her hand.

"What is wrong?" Ginna asked as she got into a sitting position.

Moira looked very pale.

"The Lord Fenton…"

No more than a second later Ginna was on her feet.

"Where is he?"

"In his chamber."

That was all Ginna needed to know, she zoomed out of the door. Something had happened to Finn. She was the only one who called him that, to everyone else he was the Lord Fenton. She herself was known as the Lady Senna. After leaving their family, they had both agreed that it would be smart to choose a new name. So far it had worked fine; there had been no sight of their siblings or their father.

They had found a peaceful estate in Scotland and settled here. They both enjoyed riding in the highlands, taking long walks and reading in their little library. Often they both sat there for hours without saying a word. The silence was never uncomfortable; they could enjoy each others company without any words. Usually their coexistence had been nothing but peaceful.

"Finn!" she called as she reached the door to his chamber.

She didn't get any reply, but she still pushed the door open. Her eyes widened when she saw her brother. He was sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the wall. He was covered with blood. Ginna walked over to him without saying a word and sat down beside him. His face was completely callous; gently she wrapped her arms around him. She didn't ask any questions, she simply waited for him to speak.

"I… I did not mean…" he finally murmured.

"I know, brother."

"These men… They attacked me; I think they tried to rob me and I… I lost control… I lost control… Oh God…"

"It's alright," Ginna hummed and rubbed Finn's back in a calming motion.

"I am so sorry, sister," he mumbled. "I… I think some people saw me… We have to leave…"

"Then we shall leave," she replied calmly.

"You love this place…"

"And I will love the next place as well," she cut in and kissed his cheek. "It makes no difference where we live; we can make any place a home."

Slowly he looked at her; she could see the distress in his eyes. He was proud of his self-control; he was determined not to be a monster. Sometimes dealing with the hunger was very hard for him and there had been times when he had wanted to end his existence. Ginna had tried her best to be there for him, just like he had been there for her when she had needed him. When her pathetic heart had ached because of Tristan. She hated herself for still missing him. How weak was she?

 _"My sweet Ginna…"_

No, she refused to ever think about him again. She hated him. She did. If she would ever see him again, she would rip his heart out. Just like he had done to her.

* * *

3 days later

Tristan stood in the middle of the empty bedchamber and closed his eyes. Her scent… He could still smell her. She had left in a hurry, leaving some of her clothes behind. He picked up her nightgown and pressed it against his face. Ginna… He had been too late. It had taken him years and all the resources of the Strix to find a solid lead. It had all been for nothing. She was gone. Again.

He let out a growl and slammed his fists against the wall. After that he was his calm self again. He had found her once and he would find her again. He had to. During the last century he had looked after his sister and built the Strix, but there had been no peace for him. Not without Ginna. She was his. He needed her. More badly than he had ever thought he could need anyone.


	7. Egomaniacal sociopaths

**Chapter 7**

 **Egomaniacal sociopaths**

New Orleans, the Duville Estate, present day

"You see, Hayley," Elijah started. "I'd wanted to assemble minds curious about the world and eager to improve it, along with time and circumstance to do so. My desire was to create an elite brotherhood devoted to a new, better civilization. It was naïve. Eventually I was forced to abandon them once I'd realized I'd cultivated a legion of egomaniacal sociopaths."

Hayley didn't say anything, she looked around cautiously. The whole room was full of ancient vampires, members of the Strix. They were all from Elijah's bloodline and he had once believed that they could make the world a better place. It had been centuries since he had last met most of them and it seemed that there were plenty of new members. Tristan had certainly been efficient.

Elijah wouldn't have accepted his invitation if he wouldn't need to know what Tristan was doing in New Orleans. They already had enough problems without the Strix. First Lucien had showed up, now Tristan. Elijah didn't like that at all. He still hadn't make peace with Niklaus and he wasn't sure how to forgive his brother this time. What Niklaus had done to Hayley and Gia… Freya had tried her best to fix things between her brothers, but Elijah hadn't been ready. He still wasn't and right now he needed to concentrate.

"So, where is this Tristan guy?" Hayley finally huffed. "I want to meet him for myself."

"I believe you will soon," Elijah replied, he had noticed the waitresses gathering in front of the stairs. They tapped their knives on the side of champagne glasses in order to get everyone's attention. And there was Tristan, walking down the stairs. He hadn't really changed at all. Seeing him made Elijah think about Ginna. He hadn't seen her since she and Finn had fled. Elijah had tried his hardest to look for her, but he hadn't succeeded. It had been a long time since any of his siblings had mentioned her name and Elijah hadn't even told Hayley about her.

"Distinguished friends," Tristan started when he was standing in the middle of the room. "Welcome. It's so rare that we are able to come together like this. To revel, for one night, in the company of true equals." He paused and raised his glass. "Now, I'd like to take a moment to welcome a very special guest, Mr. Marcel Gerard."

"What?" Hayley murmured.

Elijah tensed, what did Tristan think he was doing? And most of all, what was Marcel doing? Elijah saw him standing with Aya.

"Thank you," Marcel said as everyone applauded. "I'm honored, thank you."

"Of course, before we tell Marcel all of our secrets, there's one small piece of business to which we must first attend," Tristan said smiling. "We must determine his worth."

Marcel seemed confused, obviously he hadn't known about this little "twist".

"That's funny; I seem to recall you being the one knocking on my door."

Tristan seemed amused.

"You'll notice, Mr. Gerard, that over the course of the evening, someone has managed to take something quite dear to you. Your daylight ring."

Marcel looked at his hand, noticing that his ring was gone. Elijah sighed; Marcel had no idea what he had gotten himself into.

"The test is quite simple," Tristan continued. "First you need to deduce the identity of the thief. Then you are simply to take back what is yours. Although I doubt the prize will be easily relinquished. After all, despite our refinement, we're still a rather violent bunch. In victory, you become one of us. In failure, you meet your death."

Marcel frowned, but didn't say anything.

"You have a few hours until dawn," Tristan continued. "I wish you the best of luck."

Luck? Marcel would need much more than luck if he wanted to survive. Elijah sighed again; it seemed that he would have to ruin his favorite tuxedo.

"Elijah?" Hayley said.

He took her hand and led her to the bar counter.

"How is Marcel supposed to beat one of these vampires?"

"With guile, courage, perhaps a bit of trickery," Tristan's voice said before Elijah managed to reply.

Hayley and Elijah turned to look at him.

"Admittedly it's a long shot, but then, sometimes the new candidates surprise us." Tristan paused and looked at Hayley. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Tristan de Martel. And you must be the famous Hayley Marshall Kenner. Alpha to the Crescent Wolves." He paused again and kissed Hayley's hand. She yanked it away immediately, making Elijah smile. "Well, pleasure's all mine, I see," Tristan stated and looked at Elijah.

"When I sent your invitation, I didn't dare think you'd come."

Elijah smiled.

"Of course I came, I wouldn't have missed this. Now, what are you doing with Marcel Gerard?"

"I am always looking for new talents," Tristan replied. "I believe he has a lot to offer us, if he survives."

Hayley glared at him and crossed her arms.

"I take it Mr. Gerard is a friend of yours?"

"We're friends," Hayley replied. "And even if we weren't, I don't like bullies."

Tristan smiled.

"A bully? My dear, you barely know me."

Hayley took a threatening step towards him.

"First of all, I'm not your dear and second of all, I don't want to know you."

Tristan looked amused.

"I see."

He didn't have time to continue when the howling started. Elijah rolled his eyes when he saw Niklaus and Lucien entering the room with few half naked women.

"Greetings!" Lucien announced. "My God! It's a room full of Elijahs!"

"I had that exact same nightmare once," Niklaus chuckled.

"Go on, grab us a drink, love," Lucien told one of the women.

"One for me, and one for you and one for her and one for her… Tristan! Tristan! Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

"Excuse me," Tristan stated calmly and walked over to Niklaus and Lucien.

"You should move along. You're not welcome here."

Niklaus smirked.

"Right, okay, we're not welcome here…" He paused and burst into laughter. "Or maybe you should move along before I make you cry in front of all your little friends."

"Niklaus," a female voice suddenly said.

Elijah froze. That voice… It couldn't be. Elijah saw a woman marching towards Tristan, everyone made way for her. She was wearing an emerald evening gown and a lace mask. Her sandy blonde hair was down. Tristan smiled at her and kissed her hand.

"My dearest."

Both Niklaus and Elijah stared at her when she took her mask off. It was her. Ginna.


	8. Loyalty

**Chapter 8**

 **Loyalty**

Ginna looked at her brothers calmly; they were both stunned to see her. Grand entrances had never been her thing, she didn't like to draw attention to herself, but she couldn't deny that a small part of her enjoyed this. For once Niklaus was actually speechless. She hadn't planned any of this; she wasn't supposed to even be here. It seemed that Tristan had "forgotten" the mention some things to her and they would most certainly talk about that later.

Right now Tristan didn't show in any way that he was surprised to see her and she didn't show that she was displeased with him. They always worked out their differences in private; she would have never made a public scene. That would have been nothing but distasteful. Not to mention she needed to concentrate on her brothers right now. Maybe she was displeased with Tristan, but no one talked to him like Niklaus just had, not when she was present. Apparently her brother hadn't changed at all.

"Ginna…" Elijah murmured. He had moved in front of her and he was still staring at her.

"Hello, brother," she greeted him.

"What…what are you doing here?"

Ginna raised an eyebrow.

"It's nice to see you too."

"No, no, that's not what I meant. What…"

"What the hell are you doing with these idiots?" Niklaus finished.

Ginna looked at him calmly and took Tristan's hand.

"I don't believe that I appreciate your tone, brother."

Niklaus' eyes widened before he burst into laughter.

"Oh my… You can't be serious. Are you actually sleeping with him?"

Ginna smiled.

"Well, if you must know, yes, I do share a bed with my husband."

Both of her brothers looked stunned.

"What?" they snapped almost simultaneously.

"Tristan and I are married," Ginna stated calmly. "We have been for a long while. I apologize for not inviting you to the wedding, but it was a modest ceremony, we didn't want many people there."

The whole room was unnaturally quiet after her words, Ginna was aware that everyone was looking at them, waiting to see what would happen. A part of her regretted for causing the whole situation, but she was also glad that she had finally confronted her family. However, she would have preferred doing this more privately. Elijah was the one who spoke first.

"Why?" he murmured. "Why would you marry someone like him?"

"Because I love him," Ginna replied simply.

"Well, isn't that sweet," Niklaus chuckled. "I always knew you weren't exactly smart, but this…"

"I believe you should leave," Tristan stated coolly. "I don't appreciate anyone disrespecting my wife."

Niklaus' eyes narrowed, Ginna could tell that this was about to get ugly.

"It's fine," she said and touched Tristan's hand. "My brother isn't known for his manners."

"Perhaps we should continue this conversation somewhere else," Elijah cut in.

"No," Niklaus snorted. "I think our sister has made it clear where her loyalty lies." He paused and emptied a glass of champagne before carelessly dropping it on the floor. "Let's go, this party is dead anyway."

Lucien smiled at Ginna before wrapping his arms around two women.

"Lovely to see you again," he said and followed Niklaus.

Elijah didn't move, he was still looking at Ginna. A brunette in a red evening gown appeared next to him.

"Elijah?"

"Hayley, this is my sister," Elijah murmured.

"Hello," Ginna stated.

"Hi," the brunette replied cautiously and glanced at Tristan. "You're…his wife?"

"Yes," Ginna replied smiling. "I'm Ginna de Martel."

"Right…"

"You…took his name?" Elijah asked disbelievingly.

"Yes, I did." She paused and looked at Tristan. "Do you have a moment?"

"Of course," he replied smiling.

"Please excuse me, brother; I need to have a word with my husband."

Elijah pressed his lips together; he didn't seem pleased at all.

"Of course," he stated rigidly.

"Excuse us," Tristan said and offered Ginna his arm. She wrapped hers around it and they walked out together. Neither of them spoke before they were in his study and he had lit up a candle that entailed a silence spell. No one would be able to hear them now.

"Well…" he started, clearly amused. "That was interesting…"

"You have some explaining to do," she cut in. "What is going on here?"

He smiled and touched her cheek.

"May I say first that you look absolutely ravishing, my love."

"Nice try," she huffed. "Start talking."

He nodded.

"I will, but I meant what I said, you look beautiful. And I have missed you."

"I have missed you too, but that doesn't get you off the hook, mister."

"I know," he replied smiling. "And I apologize for not telling you that I'm coming here."

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"There are things here I need to take care of."

She frowned.

"Does that have something to do with you trying to recruit Niklaus' foster son?"

"Mr. Gerard, yes. I thought that he could be useful."

"How?"

"Well… I have no doubt that he will try to spy on us on Klaus' behalf, so I thought it would be best if I decide what information he gives to your brother."

"Makes sense. That is, if he has a real chance to pass the test. Does he?"

Tristan bit his bottom lip.

"He could have. But if he doesn't pass… Well, it would be a shame since your brother is still… fond of him."

Now Ginna understood. Marcel Gerard was here because of her. Because Tristan wanted Niklaus to suffer.

"Tristan…"

"He caused you pain. You shed tears because of him."

Ginna's eyes softened as she cupped her husband's face. It was true that she had cried and mourned after learning that Niklaus had killed her father. Twice.

"You don't have to fight my battles for me," she said gently.

"I know, but you can't ask me not to look after my wife."

She sighed and kissed him.

"Right back at you. Speaking of which, Finn called. Aurora has fled."

"Of course she has," Tristan sighed. "Did she make a lot of mess?"

"Yes, but Finn handled that. He promised to come here if I need him." She paused and looked at Tristan. "Do we need him?"

"What do you mean?"

Ginna crossed her arms.

"I can see that you're hiding something from me. I want to know what that something is. Why did you come here?"


	9. Father of the bride

**Chapter 9**

 **Father of the bride**

 _Venice, 1325_

 _"You look beautiful, sister," Finn said smiling._

 _"Thank you," Ginna replied and kissed his cheek. "And thank you for doing this."_

 _"Of course, anything for you. Although I am still not completely pleased about this."_

 _Ginna smiled._

 _"Tristan loves me and I love him. He makes me happy."_

 _"Yes, I know and of course I wish you to be happy, but…"_

 _"Finn," Ginna said gently and touched her brother's cheek." "No one will ever replace you. You know that, right?"_

 _"I suppose so," he murmured._

 _"Brother, you and I are a family; we have been through so much together. I need you to know that my marriage does not make you any less important to me."_

 _Finn smiled and kissed Ginna's hand._

 _"I know. It is just hard for me to give you to some man. Even if you love him."_

 _"You and Tristan are getting along, are you not?"_

 _Finn shrugged._

 _"I do not hate him. But I have made it clear what will happen to him if he hurts you."_

 _"I am sure you have," Ginna giggled. "He respects you, you know? And he did ask you for my hand."_

 _"Yes, he did. I suppose you could have chosen worse."_

 _"Thank you. Your approval means a lot to me, I hope we can all be a family. You, me, Tristan and Aurora."_

 _"Yes… She certainly is a handful," Finn huffed._

 _"Tristan loves her just as much as I love you," Ginna replied._

 _"Yes, I am aware of that. The thing is that you are not only accepting Tristan and his sister, you will have to accept the Strix as well."_

 _"I know."_

 _The truth was that Ginna hadn't been very thrilled when she had learned about Tristan being the leader of the Strix. She and Finn hadn't really spent much time with other vampires after leaving their siblings; they had thought that it would be safer to stay as unnoticed as possible. Things had been very different after Tristan had found her few months ago._

 _He has had to work a lot before she had been willing to listen to him. She had even punched him when he had tried to explain himself. Now she certainly wasn't angry at him anymore. No, she was angry at Elijah and Kol. They had broken her heart and kept her and Tristan apart for over 300 years. No more. After today she and Tristan would be a husband and wife. She couldn't wait marrying him._

 _Aurora, the Strix, Ginna was willing to deal with anything now when she was with Tristan again. They would deal with all of it together. She was also more than happy that Finn had agreed to walk her down the aisle. There wouldn't be many people in the chapel, only Aurora and few members of the Strix._

 _"Alright," Finn said. "I shall wait for you outside."_

 _"Thank you," Ginna replied and hugged him. She was glad to have a moment by herself before the wedding ceremony. Her maid had done a wonderful work with her hair and she liked her creamy wedding gown. She hadn't wanted a big wedding; although Tristan had thought that they should throw a bigger celebration. He had said that he wanted her to feel like a queen and give her the wedding she deserved._

 _Ginna on the other hand wanted this to be just for the two of them. She didn't want to concentrate on anyone else today; to her this was one of the most important days of her life. The day when she would officially give herself to Tristan. She had never stopped loving him, no matter how hard she had tried. He was her soulmate. Her kindred spirit. She had no doubt of that. After taking a one last glance of her reflection in the mirror, she was finally ready to go. She smiled when she heard the door opening._

 _"I am coming, Finn…"_

 _"Hello Ginna."_

 _She froze when she heard a very familiar voice. Quickly she turned around._

 _"Father…"_

 _Mikael looked at her calmly while closing the door behind him. Ginna swallowed and tried desperately to formulate a plan._

 _"Well," Mikael stated after a brief silence. "I must say that you look lovely."_

 _"Thank you," she managed to reply._

 _"I heard that you are getting married today."_

 _"Yes."_

 _"Hmm. I do not recall anyone asking me for your hand in marriage."_

 _Ginna stared at him disbelievingly._

 _"You… You have hunted us for the last 300 years…"_

 _"No," Mikael cut in._

 _"What?"_

 _He pressed his lips together._

 _"I have not hunted you, Ginna. I would never hurt you."_

 _She wasn't sure what to think, he seemed to be serious._

 _"What about my siblings?"_

 _"As I said, I would never hurt **you** ," Mikael replied. "You are my daughter. My little girl."_

 _"Why are you here?" she asked after a moment of silence. She needed to stop him from hurting Finn or Tristan._

 _"My daughter is getting married, where else would I be?"_

 _Ginna looked at him cautiously._

 _"What do you want, father?"_

 _Mikael stared at her for a moment before replying._

 _"You are afraid of me. Do you really think that I could hurt you?"_

 _Ginna shrugged._

 _"You want the truth? I did not think that you could hurt mother either."_

 _"I did not kill your mother," Mikael replied tensely. "I would have never done something like that to my darling wife. Please tell me that you believe me."_

 _Ginna hesitated before replying._

 _"I… I would want to, but I saw mother's body…"_

 _"I did not kill her. It was your bastard brother."_

 _Ginna's eyes widened._

 _"What?"_

 _"Niklaus killed your mother and blamed me for it." Mikael paused and took a step towards Ginna. "I am telling you the truth, I swear. I would have never harmed your mother, no more than I would harm you. I love you, Ginna, I always have."_

 _Ginna stared at him for a long while before she was able to reply. He was telling the truth, she was sure of it. He wouldn't hurt her, but that didn't meant he wouldn't hurt Finn and Tristan._

 _"Why are you here, father?"_


End file.
